William mason



2 N 0 S ,An

MEANS POR SEPARABLY ATTAGHING G\UN BARRELS T0 THB STOCKS.

Patented Deo. 6, 1892.

(No Model.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. W. MASON.

MEANS -POR SEPARABLY ATTAGHING GUN BARRBLS T0 THILSTOCKS.

latented Dec. 6, 1892.

SMN

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NVILLIAM MASON, OF NElIV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ,ASSIGNOR TO THE \VINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS COMPANY, OE SAME PLACE.

MEANS FOR SEPARABILY ATTACHING GUN-BRRELS T0 THE STOCKS.l

SPECIFICATION forming part'of Letters 1Patent No. 487,487, dated December 6, 1892. Application filed April 4, 1892: Serial No. 427,619. (No niodel To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MASON, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvementin Firearms, (Case 13;) and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a side View of a portion of the receiver, barrel, and magazine, parts broken away to show the take-up between the barrel portion and the receiver portion of the arm, and also to show the spring-bolt in the locking-lever; Fig. 2, the same as Fig. 1, parts broken away to show the longitudinal section of a portion of the receiver, barrel, band, and magazine; Fig. 3, a rear view of the barrel, detached, in side view; Fig. et, a rear end view of the barrel; Fig. 5, a longitudinal section through the rear end of the barrel and of the corresponding part of the band and showing the remainder of the band, themagazine, and the band-bracket in side view; Fig. 6, a rear end view of the barrel, its band, and bracket; Fig. 7, a longitudinal central section cutting through the forward end of the receiver; Fig. S, a forward end or face view of the receiver; Fig. 9, an under side view of the arm, showing a plan of the locking-lever; Fig. 10, a side View, and Fig. 1l a top view, of the lockinglever; Figs. 12 and 13, modifications.

This invention relates to au improvement in firearms, it having for its object to provide a convenient means for the detachment'of the barrel, together with the magazine, (if there be a magazine arranged below the barrel,) from the stock for the convenience of packing or transportation; and the invention consists in the construction, as hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claims.

A represents the receiver, to the forward end of which the barrel B is attached,and, as here represented, the arm is provided with a magazine C below the barrel in the usual manner, both the barrel and magazine opening at the rear into the receiver. The receiver is constructed at its rear end for attachment to the stock in the usual manner.

As a means for connecting the rear end of the barrel and the rear end of the magazine, a band D is applied, (see Fig. 5,) the barrel being screwthreaded and the band. correspondingly screw-threaded,so that the barrel may be secured to the band. The barrel is constructed with a projection E beyond the band for the attachment of the barrel to the receiver. The band extends below the barrel and the magazine C extends into the band,as seen in Fig. 2, so that by the band the magazine and barrel are joined at their rear ends. The band D is adapted to abut against Vthe forward end of the receiver, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

The rear-projecting end E of the barrel is screw-threaded, and the forward end of the receiver is correspondingly screw-threaded; but instead of making the screw-threads to be continuous around the barrel and in the receiver, as usual, a portion of the threads at two or more points on the barrel are cut away, so as to form segment-threads F F, (see Fig. 4,) and in the receiver the threads are cut away at points intermediate between the corresponding segments on the barrel and as seen in Figs. 7 and 8, G G denoting the segments of threads and H H the spaces between. The length of these spaces H H corresponds to the length of the segmental threads F on the barrel and so that the rear end of the barrel may be introduced into the receiver by turning the barrel, so as to bring its segment-theads into the recesses H of the receiver, and in that position the rear end of the barrel may pass into the receiver until it nearly reaches its home position. Then by a partial rotation the segment-threads on the barrel are brought into engagement with the segment-threads on the receiver and so as to draw the two parts firmly together, and this bringing together occurs when the barrel and magazine are in their proper relation to the receiver. The two parts are separated by returning the barrel until its segment-threads come into the recesses II of the receiver, when the barrel may be withdrawn. Consequen tly, instead of making several revolutions of the barrel, which would be necessary in case of a continuous thread, but a partial revolution is required to bring the barrel to its home position.

IOO

To interlock the barrel in its home or proper relative position to the receiver, a latch or other suitable device is provided between the receiver and the barrel portion of the gun. This locking is best accomplished by means of a level' I,hung upon a pivot J in a bracket K', formed'as a part of the band D, and so, that the lever may swing in a vertical planea In rear of the pivot the lever is constructed with an upward: projection K, (see Figs. l and 11,) and the receiver is constructed with a corresponding recess L and so that when the `parts are properly set together the lever may be turned upon its pivotto bring the projec tion K into the notch in.the receiver, as seen in Fig. 2, and thereby interlock the two parts, iso that it is impossible while so locked to impart a rotation to one part or the other, which is necessary before separation can take place.

To permit the separation of the two parts, the lever is turned down from its locked position, as represented in broken lines, Fig. 2, to take its projection K out of the notch L in the receiver and so that the barrel portion may be given a partial rotation sufficient to permit its withdrawal from the receiver, as before described.

Itis necessary that the follower` in the magazine shall be able to move rearward to the forward end of the recess in the receiver in order that the transfer of the last cartridge from the magazine to the carrier may be made completely clear from the opening into the magazine. In Fig. 2, M represents the follower in its extreme rearposition, and in this positionit necessarily stands in an opening through the forward end of the receiver. Consequently in that position the rotation necessary for the separation of the parts could not be produced. It is therefore required that the follower shall be forced forward until its rear end is forward of the rear face of the band D, as represented in broken lines, Fig. 2. To hold the follower in this retreating position the lever l is constructed with a nose N forward of its pivot, and the follower is constructed with a corresponding hole or notch O, (see Fig. 2,) and so that by forcing the follower forward as the lever is turned downward to disengage it from the receiver the nose N will enter the notch O in the follower, as represented in broken lines, Fig. 2 and thereby lock the follower in that position and with its rear end forward ofl the front face of the receiver, so that the barrel, magazine, and their connecting-band may be rotated for the purpose of detachment.

In order to provide against a looseness of the parts which might occur by the wear of the screw-thread by which the barrel is connected to the magazine-spring studs P l (one armere) are introduced into the forward end 3f the receiver, and so that the forward end Jr nose of the studs may bear against the corresponding face of the band D under the power of the spring, the force of pressure of ;he studs being suiicient to prevent any play between the barrel and receiver portions of the arm which might occur in consequence of wear between the said parts. Recesses Q may be formed in the face of the band, as seen in Figs. land 6, into which the nose of the dstuds may enter, the nose of the studs being rounded so as to be forced rearward out of their recesses in the band when the parts are turned, as inthe act of separation. While preferring to make this take-up between the two parts in the form of a spring-stud, the studs may be made as screws set into the face of the band or of the receiver, as seen in Fig. 12, and whenever wear is to be taken up the screws will be withdrawn so as to take a firm bearing between the parts when in their proper relation to each other.

To secure the locking-lever I in its home position, a conical-nosed spring-bolt R is arranged in the bracket K. (See Figs. l, 5, and 6.) The nose of the bolt is conical and so as to engage a notch S in the corresponding shoulder T of the lever, the bolt being adapted to hold the lever in its locking position, but yield for the turning of the lever, as before described.

While it is preferred to construct the rear end of the barrel and the receiver with corresponding segment-threads, the thread on the barrel may be continuous, as represented in Fig. 13.

In case of a single-loader or an arm in which the magazine is arranged in the stock the noseN of the lever I will not be required,and it will therefore in such case be omitted.

Vhile preferring to hang the locking-lever I to the bracket and interlock it with the receiver, this order may be reversed, the lever being hung to the receiver and adapted to interlock with the bracket. This modification is too apparent to require illustration.

The spring take-np studs P, which have been described as arranged between the front face of the receiver and the rear face of the barrel and provision made for the nose of the studs to enter corresponding recesses in the other part, serve as an auxiliary lock to automatically secure the two parts together when they are brought to the home position, and in some cases this device may be employed as the locking mechanism between the two parts, the lever being dispensed with. This illustration is a sucient modification of thelocking device to make it clear that the invention is not to be understood as limited to the speciiic locking device first described.

I claim- 1. In a firearm, the combination of a receiver screw-threaded at its forward end to receive the barrel, the barrel threaded at its rear end corresponding to the receiver and so as to be removably attached thereto, with a locking device, substantially such as described, betwecn the barrel and the receiver and adapted to detachably engage the two when the barrel is in the home position in the receiver, substantially as described.

IOO

IIO

i l i l 2. ln a firearm, the combination of a receiver, a barrel, the rear end of the barrel and the forward end of the receiver screwthreaded for the attachment of the barrel to the receiver, a bracket carried by the barrel forward of the receiver, and alocking-lever between the bracket and the receiver hung, to the one and adapted to engage the other, whereby the two parts are locked together, substantially as described.

3. In a rearm, the combination of a receiver, a barrel, the receiver constructed at its forward end with an opening corresponding to the rear end of the barrel, the opening into the receiver and the rear end of the barrel constructed with corresponding segmental screw-threads, the segmental threads on one part being intermediate between the segmental threads on the other part, and a locking device, substantially such as described, between the two parts to removably engage the two parts when in the home position, substantially as described.

4. In a magazinerearm, the combination of a' receiver, a barrel, a magazine longitudinally under the barrel, the receiver oonstructed with openings at its forward end corresponding to the barrel and magazine, a band around the rear end of the barrel and magazine, serving to unite the two at the rear, but the barrel projecting rearward beyond the band and such rear projection of the barrel,

screw-threaded, the barrel opening in the receiver, correspondingly screw-threaded, with a locking device, substantially such as described, between the receiver and the band, whereby the parts are removably interlocked when in their home position.

5. In a magazine-firearm, the combination of a receiver, a barrel, a magazine longitudinally beneath the barrel, the receiver constructed with openings at its forward end corresponding to the magazine and the barrel, a band connecting the Barrel and magazine at the rear end, the barrel projecting rearward beyond the band, the said projection of the barrel and the corresponding opening in the receivenscrew-th readed, a locking-lever hung to said band and adapted to engage the receiver, the lever constructed with aforwardlyprojecting nose, and the follower in the magazine, constructed with a notch adapted to be engaged by the said nose of the lever when the lever is in the unlocked position, substantially as described.

6. Ina firearm, the combination of a receiver screw-threaded at its forward end to receive the barrel, the barrel threaded at its rear end corresponding to the receiver and so as to be removably attached thereto, a locking device, substantially such as described, between the barrel and the receiver, and mechanism, substantially such as described, between the forward end of the receiver and the rear end of the barrel-portion of the arm to serve as a take-up for the joint between the barrel portion and the receiver portion of the arm, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specicationin the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM MASON.

Witnesses:

DANIEL H. VEADER, A. W. EARLE. 

